What It Means to Be Franchise-First

Oct 19, 2017

A Franchisee-Centric Business Model

Our goal at 7-Eleven is to put people first. In an effort to create an atmosphere where business owners can feel empowered to achieve their own success, we implemented a Franchisee-centric business model. But what does that really mean — and more importantly, how does it benefit you?

To answer these questions, we sat down with our Vice President of Franchise Systems, Larry Hughes. In his opinion, terms like “Franchisee-centric” or “franchise-first” reference 7-Eleven’s dedication to helping Franchisees identify their customers’ needs and so that they can meet those needs effectively. 7-Eleven has been franchising stores for more than 50 years, proving we have the experience and expertise to successfully operate a franchise system. When asked what 7-Eleven did differently, Larry explained, “A key differentiating factor driving the success of our business system is that each Franchisee makes the operating decisions for his or her store. This is because Franchisees understand their local customers and local needs.”

Currently, 7-Eleven is 90% franchised. When asked why 7-Eleven prefers a franchising business model, Larry had this to say: “We understand best practices and we are nimble enough to shift our approach so that we remain a relevant franchisor. But additionally, we understand one of the powerful drivers of our business is a population of independent Franchisees really working to understand the specifics of their trade areas and customer needs.”

Setting You Up for Success

7-Eleven succeeds when each of our Franchisees succeed. That’s why we put so much effort into selecting our franchise owners and providing them support. Larry has seen a lot of success stories during his eight years at 7-Eleven, and he found common traits among the Franchisees who rose to the top.

Before we let Larry go, we asked him for some insider advice for those considering becoming franchise owners. He let us know that “the most successful Franchisees proactively determine their success. They do not wait for economic conditions to change, demographic shifts to play out, or the competitive set to thin out. No, they embrace our proven business system, build store-specific plans that address specific situations, and execute those plans at a very high level. That is what I want every potential 7-Eleven Franchisee to know: your success is in your hands!”

Ready to have your own franchise with 7-Eleven?

Click one of the links below to find a store near you, or to register for a webinar or seminar. Our webinars are free and available throughout the week, and we probably have an upcoming seminar in your area: